Healthcare workers show determination to fight against COVID-19. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — The COVID-19 outbreak at a Hà Nội hospital dubbed the epicenter of the capital city, has been brought under control.

Vice Chairman of the Hà Nội People’s Committee Ngô Văn Quý said more than 44,000 people connected to Bạch Mai Hospital, its staff and patients have been tracked and monitored since March 12.

So far, 40 people who either worked in auxiliary services at the hospital, were staff or were visiting patients have tested positive for the virus. They are all being treated.  

By Wednesday, localities have checked and monitored 44,292 cases that related to the hospital. They include 4,736 inpatients, 1,272 outpatients, 30,515 who came for checks, 7,026 relatives and caregivers, 91 employees for Trường Sinh Company and 653 others.

At Wednesday’s meeting of the National Steering Committee on COVID-19 disease prevention and control, the Ministry of Health said it would mobilise more resources to provide tests by PCR method, one of the most accurate laboratory methods for detecting, tracking, and studying the coronavirus, as soon as possible for all those who have visited Bạch Mai Hospital.

Some localities such as Hải Phòng City and Quảng Ninh Province have conducted testing for everyone who had been to Bạch Mai Hospital with all testing negative.

Quý from the People’s Committee said through an epidemiological survey in the city, the authority has identified 16,714 cases with risk of infection (patients, family members and those related to Bạch Mai Hospital) and had set up isolation as required (home isolation and concentrated isolation). Standard testing had also been conducted.

Through quick test screening for 783 people, some positive cases were detected. However, after conducting tests on machines at the Hà Nội Center for Disease Control, these were found to be negative.

In the future, Hà Nội People’s Committee will coordinate with the Ministry of Health to test all people related to Bạch Mai Hospital in the city to screen, isolate and implement disease prevention and control measures.

The Hà Nội leader added that hospitals in the city now have enough conditions, facilities and equipment to treat 1,000 people with COVID-19.

The city’s testing capacity can reach about 1,800 samples per day.

The authority has also drawn up a treatment plan in case the number of patients increase dramatically, he stressed. — VNS